A users favorite utility for removing spyware and adware; Lavasoft has updated it’s Ad-Aware program. Improvements  include better detection, a scanning engine that does not use so many system resources, and a new updated interface.

Scanning has definitely been improved. Scan times (At least in my case) dropped by approximately 45%. This new version is supposed to have a new ability to seek out and delete rootkits and other threats that have been previously difficult to remove.

A privacy tool has been added so you can remove all traces of your Internet browsing history from your system. This feature supports the Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera browsers.

You will also notice the program’s new interface which is available in all versions. It includes more than just cosmetic changes. You will find tools and tweaking are much easier. The new version of Ad-Aware also implements an improved handling of definition updates.

All this and it’s still free. Of course their are more options and protection available with the pay versions. Such options include:

Real-time protection

Ad-Watch RegShield- provides improved protection against attempted Registry changes

Hosts File Editor- which blocks advertisement sites, prevents browser hijack attempts, and offers limited parental controls.

The Scheduler- allows you to set automatic scans and updates.

The Pro version has even more protection; Such as tools to identify keyloggers and prevent identity theft, and as well a network option to scan multiple PC’s on a network.

Note: New versions of Ad-Aware 2007 do not currently support the Vista operating system. Vista-compatible versions are slated for release in August 2007.

Ad-aware 2007 has been much improved. Once the release of the Vista compatible version is made available I will test the version and blog my findings.

One of the most important things you can do to maintain peak performance and avoid incompatibility issues is to keep your system and device drivers updated. Of course manually updating drivers can be some what time consuming.

Locating the drivers alone then searching each manufacturers web site for your particular model and acquiring the most recent software and drivers for each individual device is pain enough.

Of course if you document your last version and the most recently installed for restore purposes, this can add to your time spent.

What if you had access to software which gave you an all in one interface for updating drivers. Well I came across one the other day. I tested the software for functionality; The interface is very simplistic.

Not only does the software scan your system for needed drivers, but as well it documents any previous version in case you need to do a driver rollback due to incompatability. The software I am reffering to is the PC Updater program.

No more searching manufacturers support sites for the most recent drivers. The software scans your system and gives access to download the latest drivers in the scan results window. From here all drivers that you have installed are downloaded to a directory on the local machine in case you need access to reinstall the drivers.

I will continue use of this software and report any finding such as like, dislikes, or compatibility issues. If you would like to review more information on this product click here.

Vista provides a great entertainment experience. Finding and playing games is a lot easier with the new Windows Vista Games Explorer. The Games Explorer is the new interface for all gaming activities.

As a parent, Vista provides you with a new set of Parental Controls that allows you to manage your youths access to games. Built on groundbreaking graphics technology, Vista takes advantage of the latest gaming hardware for more realistic gaming.
 
With Vista, the new Games Explorer allows you to more easily find games installed on your Vista-based PC. Many new games have a “Games for Windows” branding which will install right in the Games Explorer.
 
With Parental Controls you can control which games your children have access to. If you feel certain games are inappropriate for you children you can block the use of these games according to rating, content, or even titles.
 
With Vista, you can get a more exciting visual experience than you have ever seen on a Windows-based PC.
 
 

Windows Vista Media Center is available in the Home Premium and Ultimate editions and has been upgraded significantly, including a overhaul of the user interface.

Manage or playback recorded TV, play DVD’s and now you can watch online entertainment or use your internal TV tuner card for content. Created to be an all in one interface for media content Media Center tracks your content including any music files for easy content search and playback.

Having used the Vista Media Center I like the layout and feel of the interface. Of course if using the online content it is likely it will be more easily viewable with a broadband connection. If this is a selling point feature of Vista for your particular needs you may want to contact your ISP to inquire about broadband connectivity.

Other features of Windows Media Center include:

Support for two dual-tuner cards

Native DVD/MPEG-2 support

Addition of Movies and DVD button which lists all the movies on the hard drive and DVD.

Tasks button that provides access to jobs such as setting up and configuring a media center extender device.

Any video playing is overlaid on the background of the user interface, if the UI is navigated while the video is

still playing.

Support for high-definition (HD) content, and Cable CARD support.

Windows Live One Care is a utility designed by Microsoft to scan your computer for several different issues. Live One care scans your computer for unnecessary temporary files, invalid registry entries, open ports, malware, and even checks your hard drive to see if defragmentation is necessary.

The service is free for ninety days after which time there is a required yearly fee of $49.95 to maintain a subscription. Microsoft has deployed this utility to help users maintain security and functionality of their computers.

If you decide to acquire use of this utility they do require you uninstall any third party virus or firewall applications. If you have already purchased one of these types of applications this can be problematic as you will lose the use of the paid subscription to the third party service.

Overall this utility seemed to work well. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any detailed information as to what the scan has found. When trying to review the registry entries that were flagged as errors I could not locate any detailed information on the entries and what they may relate to.

Microsoft seems to counter this by stating if you have any undesirable effects to use system restore which will reverse any registry changes. This seems to be counter productive.

Before deciding to use this service you may want to read the installation requirements document by clicking here.

Windows live One Care may be a useful utility if you do not own software that already performs these functionalities. To review more detailed information concerning this product you may visit the Windows live One Care web site by clicking here.